Mind Prison
by Golden Seeker 91
Summary: A story running alternate POV of Peeta and Katniss running from the end of the quarter quell till whenever I run out of ideas. Please read and review if you like.


Mind Prison

Chapter 1 – Peeta

From the moment Katniss blew up the arena Peeta worried about her. He woke up in a blank while room, padded, soundproofed walls encasing him. He remembered being in the cave with her the first hunger games, how trapped he had felt, this was worse, much worse. Everything was blank; the silence was as oppressive as a blanket and the padded handcuffs he had around his wrists tying him to the bed. He tried to raise his head to check his body for injuries, he was in pain, no doubt about that, he face felt raw and stiff, his left shoulder and hip felt bruised as though someone had dragged him, but when he lifted his head he received a sharp piercing pain in his neck, darting his eyes downwards he saw a sharp point on the collar of the white suit he was wearing. He rested his head back and felt a warm wetness trickle down the left side of his neck. Suddenly a voice from a concealed speaker boomed around the room.

"A door will now open on the left wall. Follow the lines on the floor till you reach the office."

At this the cuffs sprang open and Peeta was able to rise from the bed. He settled his feet on the floor and slowly put his weight on his legs. His head swam. How long had he been lying down? He rose to his feet and they immediately folded beneath him. He landed on his left side, pain lanced through his body and shot through his head. He retched but nothing came up, just acid that burned his throat and stung his nose.

"The president is waiting. Don't make him wait; he will not be pleased with you."

Peeta froze. So he was in the capitol, what about the others, had Katniss made it out? Gasping Peeta rose to his feet again, this time they held and he stumbled towards the door. There was a corridor with red lines on the floor. It lead to the right, there were no lines leading to the left. His head swam again and his legs threatened to collapse again. He grabbed the door frame. He had two options. Head left and try to find a way out, or follow the lines to the 'office' and the mercy of President Snow. He headed right. There was no way he would make it out in his condition. Surely if the capitol wanted him dead they would have killed him in the arena. He needed time to get well, bide his time, try and strategise a way out.

After walking for about 20 metres he saw another door. A sparsely furnished room followed. A single red rose sat in the middle of a white desk.

"Take a seat on the chair to your left." said the voice.

He took it, momentarily grateful to sit down; he legs were shaking, till cuffs wrapped their way around his wrists.

"When instructed read the following script."

A video screen appeared on the wall followed by a green light in the corner of the screen.

"Why am I here"? He asked. His voice was husky; it stuck in his throat on the way out. He dissolved into a fit of coughing.

"Read the script."

"Why am I here?" He asked again.

Suddenly a sharp pain snapped through the cuffs making him jump.

"Read" the voice yelled.

"What was that? Why am I here?!" Peeta yelled and the empty room.

Another shock, stronger this time, buzzed through his veins. He bucked against the backrest of the chair. He gritted his teeth and his head rolled forward. Too much, the point on his collar pierced his skin again.

"Now read!"

Peeta focussed his eyes on the screen. His vision kept blurring at the edges but his read the script, hating every word of it. He tried to convey the real message in his eyes, praying it would somehow reach Katniss, praying she would somehow understand, hoping somehow she would know what he was trying to tell her.

"Sorry Katniss, forgive me please." He whispered his vision fading.

"NO!" the voice yelled. "Read the script, say nothing more!"

"Katniss, if you're listening, if you're somehow hearing, don't believe a word of it. You have to fight. You have to..."

Just then another shock ran through his body. Stronger than the others, his hands tightened on the arms of the chair, he bit his tongue and he felt the hair on his arms stand up and begin to smoulder. His vision went black and he felt himself falling forward. He fought to keep his head up, to keep looking to the screen, to Katniss.

"Katniss, please, fight. Fight for us all." He breathed before succumbing to unconsciousness.


End file.
